Posts by Mark Uncapher

Was his teased candidacy a fundraising grift? Earlier this week, former Maryland Lt. Gov. and Republican MSNBC commentator Michael Steele announced that he would not run for Governor.  He bravely told the Baltimore Sun that his decision was not affected by Trump’s support from Republicans in Maryland. “If you don’t know how to run a…

Polling data suggests that the shift of Hispanic voters toward Republican candidates between 2016 and 2020 increased in 2021. Continuation of the trend would produce a political earthquake in coming elections. Drawing upon its recent polling, the Wall Street Journal noted this month: “Hispanic voters were also evenly divided when asked about a hypothetical rematch…

Homicide Prosecutor for Baltimore’s Marilyn Mosby Charged Criminally Baltimore Prosecutor charged with stalking ex-girlfriends with illegal subpoenas and threatening a criminal investigation to extort money Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby Baltimore City homicide prosecutor Adam Chaudry illegally subpoenaed phone records to stalk and harass the women he dated and threatened a criminal investigation to extort…

Are you a Faith and Flag Conservative? Populist Right? Progressive Left? Or somewhere in between? Congressional wrangling over the Biden agenda highlights   Republican and Democratic in-house differences, making internal fault lines even more evident.[i]  The partisan gulf between the parties can obscure the diversity of views within parties – and the fact that many Americans…

Princeton University’s Gerrymandering Project gives the legislature’s gerrymandered redistricting maps failing grades across the board. Princeton University’s Gerrymandering Project—a team of non-partisan academic and legal experts—gave the Legislature’s gerrymandered redistricting maps failing grades across the board: four map’ concepts,’ four Fs. Commenting on their grade, Princeton University’s Gerrymandering Project said “In Maryland, we have grades…

Montgomery Council Jab Mandate Backer’s Wife is a Pfizer Lobbyist Try this thought experiment. Imagine for a moment that a legislator proposed requiring all employees working in his jurisdiction were mandated to use a specific product or else lose their job. And, then imagine that the legislator’s wife was a registered lobbyist for one of…

Thrive Montgomery 2050 Ignores Telework Impact on the County Thrive Montgomery 2050 represents the county’s proposed update to its zoning master plan.[i]  It reflects land-use planners’ “smart growth” objectives. They desire a county with more population density, proportionally fewer single-family homes, and greater dependence on public transportation. The Thrive Montgomery 2050 debate has ignored the…

Inflation has started roaring back since Biden became President If your eyes usually glaze over at economic statistical news, then the Dollar Tree retail chain’s recent announcement should drive home the reality of inflation’s comeback.  The last of the major “Dollar Store” chains, retailers selling all items for $1 or less, Dollar Tree, announced it…

Franchot bucks Maryland’s Teachers Union Peter Franchot, Maryland State Comptroller and Democratic candidate for Governor, has staked out an educational position dramatically at odds with his party’s other candidates and, most notably, the state’s powerful teacher’s union.  For several years, Maryland’s teachers’ union’s top priority has been ramping up state spending to fund the Kirwan…

Former Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman announced earlier this week that he is running again for the position in 2022 after losing his bid for a second term in 2018. Kittleman, a Republican, launched his campaign in a five-minute video posted on YouTube.[i] Kittleman lost his previous bid for reelection to Calvin Ball, a Democrat, who…